Ryoshuu
by ensngre
Summary: Naruto meets one of the Akatsuki after the failed mission to retrieve Sasuke. Hopefully better than it sounds. Rated for future violence and possible imaginary. SasuNaru FRIENDSHIP.
1. Fight 1

Chapter 1

_I broke a promise. _Even though Sakura hadn't been mad at him, or even disappointed, he felt that he failed both Sakura and Sasuke, but himself even more. He'd never promise anyone anything, because it's better to not expect anything, than to do so and become disappointed for things that didn't went your way. No, he didn't like promises, and he promised himself to never make a promise again. Which was quite ironic, because here he was again, making a promise. No... he didn't like promises _at all_.

The mission to retrieve Sasuke had failed, but he was glad to hear that all members of the team had survived. _Will I forever be a failure...?_ He asked himself. Then he drifted into a little slumber.

When he opened his eyes, it was hard to look because of the annoying light. When he finally got used to it, he sat up in the bed. _Bandages... I never noticed._ His entire torso was bandaged with his head, his arms and hands too. _What will happen now? What will I do?_ Train. It was the first thought that came up in his mind. To become strong enough to bring back Sasuke... his best friend. Friend... he didn't know if he should be grateful or sad that Sasuke left him alive. He could handle pain, very well at that too. But this was something else. This was a feeling of betraying... he'd been betrayed before, but this wasn't like those times. He somehow knew Sasuke hadn't betrayed him, or Sakura for that matter, Sasuke had just... priorited something else before them.

Deep in his own thoughts, he didn't notice that someone was staring at him. Someone who had a coat that covered his whole body. A coat that was black and had red clouds on it...

"Uzumaki Naruto... correct?" The man stated. Naruto was ripped out of his thoughts, and was desperately searching of where the owner of that powerful voice would be. He soon stumbled his on the man with the coat, but he couldn't make out his outlines. It was weird, it was as if the sun wanted to prevent this being from being seen.

"Who are you?" Naruto asked. He was afraid, to say the least. _This isn't good..._

"I have found you interesting... would you come with us?" A dark voice said, a voice that did not belong with a human. Then the sun disappeared behind the curtain, revealing a strangelooking man... if that was a man. His appearance looked as if he were molded with some creature, because two jaw-looking things covered each side of his head.

"What do you want?" Naruto asked, with a hint of uncertainty and a little fear. Then he stated that he'd never join the likes of the Akatsuki. The creature merely laughed, maybe he chuckled, one wouldn't know. It was amused nonetheless.

"Then I'll have to take you by force." And everything went black for Naruto.

* * *

"Hokage-sama, Uzumaki Naruto is nowhere to be seen!" And ANBU poofed into her office.

"What do you mean?" Tsunade asked plainly.

"We cannot find him in the appointed hospital-room, Hokage-sama."

"Then maybe he's just out for a walk?" Tsunade asked, half-stating this matter. She was beginning to get worried.

"That is unlikely, please follow me, Tsunade-sama. It seems that Naruto-san has left a message." Another ANBU poofed in the office, and they soon poofed out, only whirlwinds in the air as proof someone were there.

"What...?" She didn't understand. What did he mean by that message? Was it from Naruto at all? It was so out of his character. _It couldn't be him. _The words "**I've brought shame upon you, Tsunade-hime**" had been written in kanji, with a red substance. Probably blood... The truth was that Naruto had decided to leave, even before the Akatsuki came. But neither Tsunade or the ANBU knew any of the two facts.

* * *

He was bored. He wasn't many things, but he was indeed bored. He was so bored that he even watched a fight between two little kids. Yes, kids, what did they know about power? Midst in the battle, he had confronted himself. What the fuck was he doing there? The fight wasn't even worth seeing, but there was one of those two kids that got his interest up. _Finally something interesting_, he had thought. You could say that he was like Jiraya-sama, because no-one else would take up interest in this good-for-nothing little kid. But he was genuinely intruged by him. So he just decided to get knowing him a little better.

It was easy to convince the blonde to stay and train with him. He didn't try to take some of his legs, which relieved Naruto much. The Akatsuki-member, Memoiro, assured him that if he were to run away, he **would** surely take his legs, so Naruto stayed, convincing himself that this probably would be for the better.

The first months were hell. Constant physical training was what he trained. His new teacher wouldn't let him sleep for more than three hours per night, but he managed somehow. He was impressed, though, he'd never been this heavily trained before and he'd _never_ been this grateful to sleep, even if it was indeed three hours.

Well, the months passed on, and he eventually started learning jutsus. Momoiro didn't really know that many jutsus, but they were very advanced and useful in exchange. Naruto, being who he is, seemed to learn them fast. When he hadn't any jutsus left to learn from his teacher, he'd start to go on missions with him. The Akatsuki didn't know that he had taken the kid under his wings, of course. The missions were awfully hard to do, and he'd been close to death uncountable times. But they weren't only dangerous, because he learned much during these travels.

Almost a year after his abduction, he revolted and set out on a journey.

* * *

**  
Author's comments** (I won't ask you to read this)

This was a short chapter, but there wasn't much to write about, and I figured that writing about missions and the training would be boring, if not irrelevant (imo). I promise, it _will_ get better. Also, I suck at inventing jutsus, so if anyone has some good suggestions, then please post it in the reviews, if you want. The next chapter will probably be out in a week or two, despite what you think about it. Tough luck. :P


	2. Fight 2

Chapter 2

"Sasuke-sama... why?" Kabuto asked pained. One attack from Sasuke had taken enough damage that the skilled medical-nin couldn't withstand any longer being conscious. He heard the last sentence the raven-haired boy said though, before he dizzed out.

"I'm going back to Konohagakure. It's... all I have left."

* * *

When Sasuke had first come to Orochimaru, he was in a pretty bad shape. He had taken a heavy load of damage from the massive Rasengan Naruto summoned. It took several weeks to get in his normal shape, because of the Rasengan but also because he'd used the 2nd level cursed seal. The straints on his body were immense, and for a while it was uncertain that he would be able to use his body at full capacity. Fortunately, Kabuto who served Orochimaru had great knowledge in the medical area, and with his help Sasuke recovered a week after.

Orochimaru were reluctant whether or not to teach Sasuke jutsus or techniques. Learning him jutsus that Orochimaru already knew of? What would Orochimaru gain from that? Nothing. So they worked on strenghtening Sasuke's body instead, to prepare the snakes container. He couldn't have anyone's body, after all, it had to be strong.

After a while, though, he found that he could use his newfound toy as other things than just being a container (A/N not what you're thinking, OroSasu-fans out there :P). He was also suited as being a splendid bodyguard to Orochimaru, and so he was often out with his master to test his strength. With his bloodline, the Sharingan, it also served as collecting information (namely jutsus) to the snake, which was more than happy for this. He was, after all, going to take Sasukes body. Well, about four years from here on anyway, but why not start working on his ambition right now?

It was on one of those missions, _that_ happened. The Akatsuki were not exactly afraid of the old snake, but he could pose a problem in the future, so they decided to get rid of him. The problem wasn't that, it was which team the Akatsuki sent. A team which consisted of a Hoshigaki Kisame and a certain Uchiha Itachi... Sasuke was enraged.

**Flashback**

"Itachi...!"

"Little brother, how good to see you. It seems as if you've grown. Not at all according to my expectations, though." Itachi said with a disappointing tone. Then a battle initiated.

**End of flashback**

Sasuke had been able to kill his elder brother. He didn't know how to react on the fact that his meaning in life no longer existed. He first felt satisfied, and even started laughing. Then he started crying, for the first time since _that_ incident. Then... came nothing. Say what you want about Itachi, but he _was_ the reason Sasuke was still alive to that day.

Even though Orochimaru was relieved that his most dangerous enemy was taken down, he still wasn't quite glad at the fact that the shark-man got away. Such battle as the one that occurred wasn't going to happen soon. He was a little dissappointed, but was entertained that he had such a powerful body at his side. Yes, _a little while longer_... he would have wanted the final level of the Sharingan, the Mangekyou Sharingan, but he couldn't get everything, he knew that... did he? Well, not that he accepted it.

Sasuke was clenched in an even deeper darkness than he was in before, until... _...Naruto? What would you do if you were me?_ Then came light. _Konoha...  
_

* * *

"Sasuke-sama... why?" Kabuto asked pained. One attack from Sasuke had taken enough damage that the skilled medical-nin couldn't withstand any longer being conscious. He heard the last sentence the raven-haired boy said though, before he dizzed out.

"I'm going back to Konohagakure. It's... all I have left."

It didn't take long to reach the borders of the fire country, and to the place where Naruto and him fought so many years ago. _How are you all...?_ He remembered the words the blond had said to him. _"When I'm with you... I wonder if it feels like having a brother."_ A brother... maybe it wasn't so bad after all. To have a real brother... Knowing our dark-haired prodigy, he'd never get excited. But now, he couldn't barely hold himself, to get back to his old team... to meet his former teacher... maybe have a rematch with the green beast of Konoha, Rock Lee. But mostly of all... to have a rematch with his blonde-haired team-mate, and this time without hate or anger.

* * *

"Hokage-sama! Uchiha Sasuke have been spotted at the east gate, and will soon be escorted here together with Blue Team." An ANBU said, after being "poofed" in the Hokage's office.

"What...? Then hurry!" Tsunade-hime ordered.

"Yes, Hokage-sama...!" The ANBU-guard followed his order, and "poofed" out again.

_Uchiha Sasuke... so Naruto's predictments were true.  
_

* * *

"Uchiha Sasuke..." Tsunade looked out from the window, with her back against the subject in question. "What's your business?" It wasn't really a question, more like an order that he'd explain himself. "You do know that by returning here, you will be punished accordingly to your acts."

"I am ready to take that punishment, Godaime-sama," Sasuke said cooly, while continuing. "However, it may be of your interest that I am not sided with Orochimaru anymore."

Tsunade almost knew this fact, but didn't take it easy on him because of it. "Did you come here to ask to be forgiven?" She never liked the kid, abandoning Konoha when it needed him the most, but mostly because of his treachery against Naruto and Sakura. Sakura was, indeed, a student of hers, an excellent one at that, and Naruto... she viewed Naruto as her brother.

"Not at all," Sasuke said. He was glad to be back in the village he grew up in, but his patience lost ground awfully quick. "I am merely here to re-instate as a Shinobi for Konohagakure, Godaime-sama."

* * *

The meeting with the city council was almost unnecessary, they all was relieved to have secured one of their triumph-cards, which had been lost for years. They all agreed on the fact that he was to become a shinobi for the city once again, but they also decided that a punishment were on it's place. Why they only gave him 5 days in an isolation-cell was not nearly enough for the treason he committed, to Tsunade. Then again, they were short on resources, even though they managed to build up most of it's former force. And it was the matter with Naruto... they didn't know the two stood so close to each other, so they dismissed it as no action would be taken.  
  
"Free..." The 5 days in an isolation-cell was nothing. He'd been treated well by most of the guards, and the food there was the most delicate food he'd have since his leave from Konoha. _Now, what to do...?_ He had been pondering about this for the last 5 days in the cell, and hadn't made up his mind, despite the long time he spent thinking. He didn't really want to re-explore the city, so he decided to do the first thing that came up in his mind. Namely ramen.

* * *

_Argh... I'm starting to pick up his weird hobbies. Now, let's see... What was it's name again? Ichiraku?_ On the way there, he found himself being the center of attraction. Namely he was getting gazes from everyone he met. _Good thing they don't seem to remember me._ And yes, it was. Partly for angry villagers, partly for girls.

So here he was, standing in front of the infamous Ichiraku Noodle Bar. He was getting nostalgic. When he went in, the owner and his daughter looked _very_ surprised. To think that the last member of the Uchiha-clan came here to eat! And after he'd been away for years.

"A..." He looked at the menu, and couldn't tell the different tastes from the other. "A miso ramen, please."

"Miso-? Ah, coming right up!" Both Ichiraku _and_ his daughter decided that it probably was for the best not to jump up and scream at the arrival of the young Uchiha. Sasuke decided to sit down at the counter. All of a sudden, he heard a familiar voice.

"A miso ramen, pleeeeeease!" Sakura. She sat down next to the stranger, and suddenly she saw who he was. She was speechless.

"Long time, no see, Sakura." Sasuke _decided_ that the girl probably wouldn't say anything soon, so he was the first one to greet his old friend. "It's nice to meet you." And he really meant that.

"Sa... Sasuke...? Is that you...?" Sakura was shocked beyond imagination. "Is that you?" She started crying. "Is that really you...?" Uh oh, the last thing he wanted was a crying girl hanging at his neck. But it was okay, this time at least... The consolement lasted for some minutes, before he spoke up again.

"Sakura... the food is getting cold." He was hungry, and couldn't take it anymore.

"Oh... right." She smiled. She was so glad to see him. At last another from the famous Team 7. The team had grew very famous a while after Sasuke's treason. Sasuke, the genius offspring of that special clan, who had betrayed the village and had joined forces with the mighty Orochimaru, one of the Sannin. Sakura, who was Tsunade-hime's apprentice, and was now a splendid user of medical jutsus. Naruto, the one who had convinced the current Hokage to come back to Konoha, the one who was once a trainee under Jiraya-sama, the one who looked so much like the fourth, and the one who...

"I see that you are well." Sasuke smiled for the first time in ages.

"Yes, I train under Tsunade-hime. It's a pain, she's so strict, hahaha." Oh, how nice it was to be able to laugh again.

"You do...?" Sasuke was impressed. He hadn't expected something like this, and the new Sakura was indeed strong... not a match to himself, but strong nonetheless. "Wow. Congratulations, or something."

"Hehe, yeah, I've learned pretty much... I'm a medical-nin now, you know." Sakura was proud, you could notice it from a mile away. Then the silence crept upon the two, the reason of Sasuke's return wasn't needed to point out. It was obvious to Sakura that he'd been able to fulfill his ambition. Then...

"What about Naruto? Has the idiot gotten any stronger since last time?" Sakura's head snatched up, and then quickly down again, and another silence fell upon the two. "Sakura?" Sasuke began to have a bad feeling about it, and wasn't sure whether or not he really wanted to know the reason behind Sakura's sudden sadness. She spoke after a while.

"You haven't heard?"

"Of what?" His old, cold self was re-surfacing, the friendly discussion they had before was gone with the wind.

"Naruto... he's... nowhere to be found." Sakura continued after verifying that Sasuke was listening. "He disappeared the day after you went to Orochimaru..." Sasuke snapped.

"What do you mean?! He couldn't just have disappeared!"

"I'm telling the truth... I don't know much, it's classified. Even Tsunade-sama won't speak of it..." She had noticed the saddened look on Tsunade-hime's face when someone spoke of her blond-haired ex-friend, and didn't push it on her.

"Naruto..." Sasuke took in this new information, while clenching his fists. _The Akatsuki... I got to see Kakashi-sensei._ "I gotta go, Sakura." And he was gone in a blink of an eye.

* * *

The copy-cat ninja had been extremely schocked to see one of his former students look him up in his apartment. Sasuke had asked him about what happened to Naruto, when he'd taken Sasuke to the hospital-room in which Naruto had been stationed.

He didn't really understand the message Naruto left them with. He had heard that the new Hokage was someone named Tsunade, she had even treated him before, but he didn't think that this was Naruto who wrote it. _The dobe didn't use titles... Kakashi-sensei, Iruka-sensei and Sakura-chan, but... to use it like this... it isn't like him at all... Tsunade-hime-...._

No, he didn't understand, and immideately voiced it out. "I don't understand, he would've never done anything like this." Kakashi nodded.

"So we thought, but we were apparently wrong..." Kakashi held out something, and Sasuke knew that.

"There's something else, right? Tell me."

Kakashi had suspected that he'd been able to see through his act, and so fortelled the truth.

"Akatsuki...? Why would they want Naruto? Is it because of his powers...?" His old sensei didn't answer, he didn't need to. "I'm going to recover him."

"Sasuke, forget about Naruto." Unbeknownst to them, Jiraya-sama had said the same thing to Naruto about Sasuke. "He's probably dead already. There's nothing you can do." He had trust in his former student, but he really did think that he was dead.

"I'll take him home, even if it's the last thing I do." Right now, Naruto was top-priority. "He's not dead. He's not that weak." A little spark of hope was lightened inside Kakashi. He couldn't stop Sasuke even if he wanted to.

"Just come back safe and sound."

Four years after the abduction of Naruto, Sasuke set out on a journey to retrieve his lost friend.

* * *

**Authors notes/comments**

I don't really know when the Akatsuki will make their move to retrieve Kyuubi or when Orochimaru can take over another body again (either 3 or 4 years).

Also, I know that the "The Naruto/Akatsuki plotline" has indeed been made too many times, but it won't cirkulate around that (hopefully?) and... well, you'll see (I'm pretty tired of these fics, too). But I hope it'll be original enough. :)

And no, there's nothing meshy going on between any of the members of Team 7. Thank you for your time.

And oh (tired of 'and's?), I'm currently working on a KurenaiNaruto-fic. Yes, I've never seen one before, so I thought I'd make one. Because of this, this fic is pushed aside until i release the first chapter of earlier mentioned fanfic.


	3. Fight 3

Chapter 3

Three months passed by quickly, too quickly. He hadn't been able to allocate Naruto, he had completely disappeared. But then there was some rumors about a perverted, white-haired man that had been pestered the hot-springs around that town… and Sasuke were only familiar by two perverts, his old sensei Kakashi and someone named… what was his name again? Argh, he didn't have a bad memory, but he figured the man wasn't something worth remembering. Oh well, it poppoed up for him now, his name was Jiraya… so he sat out to search for the last person to have seen Naruto. Well, from Leaf, anyway.

_Let's see…it should be around here… _There it was, "Sympathy for the Devil". And YES, it was the name of the inn he would be staying in. So he pushes the door aside, and steps in. It was a nice, little inn, nothing in common of the name it wore. He was about to go to the reception, when he caught sight of something! A big, white hair-thingie. He had such big luck, and he knew it.

"Ah, Jiraiya-san? Is that you?" He walked forward to the man sitting outside the inn, in a little stand, drinking some alcohol.

"Huh?" The white-haired man turned around, with red cheeks and all. "And who are you?" He had cosumed too much sake this evening. Yes, too much…

"Uchiha Sasuke, do you remember me?" Gotta take it easy with the old man… _He didn't like me the first time he saw me. Hmph. _

"Ooooh, the Uchiha! What do I have the pleasure of having you come visit?" He asked. Damn brat. "I heard you managed to get away from Orochimaru…"

"That is correct." They didn't like each other at all, but Sasuke had some respect for the old man. He was, after all, one of the three legendary Sannins. "I'm… looking for Uzumaki Naruto." The legendary Sannin flinched.

"Oh… I see…" Jiraiya said in a low-voiced voice. He cleared his throat, and followed up. "You know, I'm really close to finding him… and I could use some help. So sit down. Here's the traces I've found this far…" And they stayed up all night, discussing about nothing about Naruto… and the white-haired man's newly written books, with Sasuke having the displeasure of listening. He could only hope that finding Naruto wouldn't take long.

* * *

"You sure this is it, Jiraya-san? It's well-hidden, _too_ hidden for it to have any connection to Naruto..." Sasuke pondered. They had walked in hours, and finally stopped when they detected an awful strong genjutsu. With a Sharingan-wielder on his side, Jiraiya was very glad to have gotten help from the dark-haired prodigy. 

"Definitely." Before them lay a circle of approximately 100 meter in diameter. Now that was strange indeed, but what was even more strange about the place was that the whole place was painted with seals. "This is… the style is refined, and the functions…" The white-haired man glanced up to get a view at the seals at a whole. Then he looked down again, and started examine the seals again. "According to… the seals, you shouldn't cross the outer line." He then tossed a twig into the circle of seals, and it immideately vanished. "It's probably for safetycautions. Whoever made up this seal is a specialist. And the style of it… it seems somehow familiar. I'll go on a little tour around it."

What a seal… I've only learned some low-level healing seals before, but even I can tell that this is probably a seal over Jounin-level.

Additional hours later, Jiraiya had managed to orbit the seal, and had come up with a conclusion…

"It's no doubt about it, it's Naruto's doing." Jiraiya said. "And I think I can counter it, it will take a while, though." So day became night, and night became day again until Jiraiya had finished.

The seal was in the form of an inverse pentagram, pointing south. The legendary Sannin had managed to weaken the seal at each five points of the seal, rendering it vurnable to the…

"Hushokeii!" (Unknown Seal Release) And the outer circle began moving toward each of the five points of the inverse pentagram. It was strange, because the ground shaked… "Be ready, Uchiha-brat. We may have to fight, depending on what was sealed." The shaking increased, and by now the five points had started to withdraw, and the area of the seal had subtracted to half. After another increase of shaking, the seal was now smaller than a meter in diameter, and Jiraiya and Sasuke was now on their toes of what to come.

All of a sudden, the remaining marks of the seal dove into the ground, and you could feel when they traveled through the earth. Soon after, the place where the seal had disappeared started to break, as something that had been stored under ground for a long time resurfaced. First came something that looked like blonde hair, soon followed by the rest of the body, with an orange t-shirt complete with orange trousers and the classic sandals, only that this pair was black. The markings of the seal carried him and put him down with his back down to the plain earth, all the while materia started creating something white that looked awfully a lot like bandages, around the blonde's body. The two watched in awe. Then, the seal started travel up the bandages, and when all the bandages finally had seals over them, the process stopped.

The watchers then went forward to the body, to check up on it. They were startled when they noticed that the body had started to shake. Then, it let out a sound. "Uhh…" They quickly rushed to it's side.

"Naruto, is that you?!" Jiraiya quickly adapted to the strange situation, put one of his arms behind the body's back and adjusted it to a sitting position.

The head of the body steadied on Jiraiya's face. "Jiraiya-sensei…? Is that you…?" Naruto said weakly. "What are you doing here?"

**Authors note**

Should I have continued?

The seals I've used; I don't speak japanese, fyi. May as well say it right now. The _keii_ used in _Hushokeii_ is the unseal-part, I think. Well, the counter-part of Goguoufuuin (used by Orochimaru in the Forest of Death against Naruto) is named Goguoukeii (which Jiraiya used to unseal the Goguoufuuin). So, I figured that keii is the unseal-part, because the fuuin in Goguoufuuin means seal. Oh hell, I shouldn't be lecturing in japanese, but… I think it's correct. :P

Also, I'm sorry for the long delay, I've postponed the KurenaiNaruto-fic, dunno if it'll be released. I think I'll finish this story first. Oh well. From here on, the chapters are going to be about this long. Please put up with it. :/ I'm already working on next chapter.


	4. Fight 4

Chapter 4

"Naruto!" Sasuke almost screamed out.

"Oh… Sasuke's here, too? Heh…" He looked up to the sky. "Who would've though that I was the one who were saved…? Isn't that ironic, Jiraiya-sensei?" He let out a small laugh.

"If you say so, Naruto." The white-haired man said, as he lifted the limp body on his back. "Let's go back to Konoha."

"Yeah…" And he fell asleep, only to find himself awakened at a…

* * *

"…hospital?" Naruto had just opened his eyes, to be welcomed by some white, sterile roofs. Probably belonging to a hospital. "So I'm back…" He said while looking out of the window. _At least the weather's nice… It seems my fate is somehow intervined with this village. But what should I do… father?_

"Are you awake, Uzumaki Naruto?" An ANBU asked, after hearing the subject of his protectioning on the other side of the white door. Well, it wasn't a question, more like a statement… _ANBU's are all the same. Hmm… I couldn't even sense him open the door. Back at square one, eh…? Got to get out of here as soon as possible._

"So it seems." The blonde answered, still having his head turned towards the window. _Nah… it can wait. Let's enjoy this while it lasts. Three years without a bed…_

"I see. I'll go report to Hokage-sama." And with a poof, he was gone. _I wonder if Tsunade-baasan still is the Hokage._

It didn't take long before he could hear voices outside in the corridoor. Or at least he thought he heard some, his six senses was still unused to being, well, used. The door slid open, and he turned to the opening.

"Welcome home, Naruto." A woman with long, blonde hair stood in the opening. He smiled a little smile.

"Tsunade-baasan… I'm glad to see that you're well." The bed-ridden blonde sighed. "I guess I'm going to get scolded for going away…" The young-looking woman went forward to his bed, and ruffed his hair in a way she only ruffed his hair in.

"Well, what did you expect?" The smile she had, turned to a grin.

He started to grin too, not like the childish grin he had so many years ago, but to an mature one. It was still playful, though. Then they heard a female voice, that seemed to close in to the room, and it wasn't a very glad voice. "…still, Sasuke-kun, you could've at least asked me with you." _Sakura?_ " Naruto is my team-mate, too." _Definitely…_

"Identify yourselves." The same ANBU that had fetched Tsunade now spoke up. After a little while, the door slide up, revealing a nervous-looking Sakura and a nonchalant Sasuke. Still, both had changed tremendously. Sasuke was now wearing a black turtle-shirt, a little bigger and longer than what would be necessary, reaching down about 10 cm below his hip, with his clan-symbol painted at the back. His black trousers reached down to a little below his knees, that were exchanged to white bandage's down to his feets. Sakura's clothing hadn't changed much, the bright pink was still present. She also had a turtle-neck shirt, a white one, idicating that she was indeed a medical-ninja. Her trousers, though, was pink, and reached down to her knees. Both wore traditional ninja-sandals, of course, Sakura's being blue, Sasuke's being black.

"Naruto!" Sakura exclaimed, and was quick to run forward and hug him. The hug was welcome, but he didn't seem as happy as he would have, but still happy, she noticed.

"Hello, Sakura." He smiled a little. "How's it going under the tutoring of Tsunade-baba?" He smirked.

"Oh, I'm learning new things all the time." She said, happy that her entire team was now together again.

"Heh, I can see that. It seems you've become quite skilled." He grinned. "And when did you graduate to chuunin-status?" He asked when he disovered that a green chuunin-vest had found it's place on her upper-body.

"I figured you would ask. I graduated two years ago, together with Ino-pig and Chouji." She seemed so proud.

"All of you passed? Wow… damn, that's a feat. I think I'm becoming a little jealous."

She giggled. "Everyone's pretty close to the Jounin-status, too, so you have a little to take in." A teasing smile was to be seen on his pink-haired ex-team-mate. _Huh, talk about a golden generation…_

"What about you, Sasuke?" He didn't seem to have a green vest.

"He just came to the village some month's ago. When he heared that you had disappeared, he ran away to get you back. I would've accompanied him too, but he wouldn't wait up for me." Sakura spoke up.

"…When we're all discussing on ranks, the chuunin-exam is two weeks away, and both of you have been re-instated in Team 7 with a Hyuuga Hinata's little sister, Hanabi. I heard you went in the same class at the academy. Well, don't worry, though, you'll have the same teacher as always." Tsunade said. She had figured they would've want to climb the ranks as soon as possible, so it was really no need to ask for their permission.

Tsunade had left early, her Hokage-duties calling her. Sasuke and Sakura had stayed until nightfall, then they had bid goodnight to each other and made their way home.

* * *

"Hey," a voice called out in the cold night. Naruto was still awake, and recognized it as his teacher's voice. He had a bad habit of coming in through windows… 

"Ah, ero-sennin." He put out his tounge in a mature way. If there even was a mature way one could stick out ones tounge in…

"Wanna talk about that forbidden seal of yours?" Naruto quickly tucked in his tounge again, and became serious, and maybe a little sad…?

"Not really." He said with a low voice. _What luck, getting found by Konoha's number one seal-specialist. Well, not anymore…_

A silence fell upon teacher and student. "Well anyway, I thought it would be a good time to give you this scroll…" He unfolded a package Naruto had seen him carry around since as long as he'd known the old man, and gave it to the blonde. Jiraiya was about to say something, when Naruto interupted him…

"It's my father's, right?" He looked down at the scroll in his lap. He smiled a sad smile.

To say that Jiraiya was surprised was an understatement. "How…?"

"Some people told me. And I think I always somehow knew. This seal, you see, was created with love… even I can feel that…" An even longer silence initiated, when Naruto spoke up again. "Well, aren't you going to wish me good luck with the chuunin-exam?" He grinned.

"What? Oh," he laughed, "good luck, then. Either way, I gotta go now, research, you know." _I know –exactly- what you mean._ "And don't forget, you shouldn't restrain yourself. That seal may cause you harm."

"Pff, as if I wouldn't know. You underestimate me, Jiraiya-sensei." He stuck out his tounge again. A habit he had picked up. "And… umm… thank you. For this, I mean." He glanced at the scroll.

"Heh." Jiraiya said, jumped out from the window, and the silence of the night once again engulfed our favorite blonde.

**Author's comments**

Six senses? :P He had developed some kind of sixth sense. All ninjas had a sixth sense, being able to feel large amoutns of chakra. His sixth sense were very sensible, though.

The next chapter should be out some time after christmas (I have the next chapter ready, but I want back-up, so I can take it easy if I were to get lazy, you know :P)

Thank you for all your reviews. It's real great to hear that some people appriciate my work. Still, I haven't gotten any suggestions on what I could do better, like putting in some more effort in the talk between the characters etc. I do know I'm not perfect. :P Please don't hesistate to say what's bad with the story. Over and out.


	5. Fight 5

**Ryoshuu**

Chapter 5

_By_

_ensngre_

* * *

"Is Kakashi-sensei always this late?" An 11-year-old Hanabi asked without much interest shown on her face. 

"Yeah, you better get used to it, brat." She was mature beyond her years, and Naruto knew that, but it still didn't change the fact that she was a brat.

"I'm not a brat." She was getting annoyed at this, no-one had ever called her a brat before. "You're being disrespectful." _And what's with those bandages?_

He laughed. "Me? I'm the one who's being disrespectful? You should learn your place, brat." Yes, he was happy that his team were designed like this, because this way he could get half-revenge to all who had called him brat through the years. Though he didn't exactly mind teasing the young Hyuuga-prodigy, either.

"No, you're the one who should learn your place! You're--"

Poff. "Maa, maa, you shouldn't fight between each other." Kakashi said in a lazy tone, and relaxed his lazy eye on his new student. After awhile of staring, he concluded, "oh, a brat."

"Told you so, brat!" Naruto snickered after hearing the outburst of the white-eyed girl.

"Well, either way, it's two weeks until the chuunin-exam is held." Kakashi said. "We all know each other, though we've never met the newest addition. Let's take the usual introduction procedure, shall we?"

The first impression the lazy ninja had given Hanabi hadn't been exactly what you would call good. After finding out what the contains of his orange book was, from Naruto, she concluded that she didn't like the team. At all. Well, so she told herself, but she knew it was a good team.

Her new teacher was, after all, one of Konoha's most renowned ninjas, and she had heard dozens of rumours about him that would make any ninja jealous. Despite his perverted nature and laziness, he was indeed a true genius.

Then there was Uzumaki Naruto. He wasn't at all as noisy as he had been several years ago. Truth be, he wasn't nearly as loud as before, but he returned a little to his former self when Hanabi came into the picture. She knew that he was strong, she could almost feel strength radiate from him. He had made a deep impression to her during his match against her cousin Neji, and even though she wouldn't confess it, she admired the relatively short blonde.

Lastly, there was Uchiha Sasuke. She didn't know much about him, although she knew he was a prodigy, even more so than herself. There was no words spoken between him and Naruto, but no words needed to be spoken for her to discover a strong friendship and a stong sense of companionship. She was a bit jealous of them, because she had spent almost all time with persons in or connected to her clan. She had never had a real friend before, and you couldn't guess it from looking at her, but she felt really lonely sometimes. Hopefully, the time with this team would change that.

All in all, it was a team consisted of great ninjas, and she was sure she would learn much from them, and she dearly hoped that they would learn something from her as well.

Her thoughts continued, before a voice spoke up.

"Where's the exam located, Kakashi-sensei?" Sasuke asked.

"Oh, it's held in the Hidden Village of Stone." Kakashi said to the re-instated Team 7.

"Stone, eh? I've been there a couple of times…" Naruto said, with Sasuke nodding short after, indicating that he too had been there.

"Yeah, it'll take about three days to get there," Kakashi continued, "but until that, let's concentrate on your teamwork." And they did that all day, and when Kakashi stated that training was over for today, Sasuke and Naruto both stayed behind to spar.

"Hey, Hanabi-brat, why don't you stay and spar, too?" Grinning, Naruto asked when she was about to leave.

Hanabi lit up and smiled, _maybe he isn't that bad_, and returned to the training-grounds.

"So, who'll begin?" The dark-haired male asked the two. It would be pretty interesting to spar with a Hyuuga, but that wasn't on the top of his list right now. "What about it, Naruto? Shall we two go at it first?"

"Yeah. If that's okay with you, Hanabi," she nodded, and he continued. "I'll set the rules." He went forward, took up a wooden stick, went to the middle of the field, and drew a circle. Tne spectator had seated herself beneath a tree located only meters away from the circle. "Well, because of these seals, I can't use chakra. So taijutsu will do, is that okay, Sasuke?"

"Heh, of course. Plain taijutsu, I got it. And the first one to leave the circle loses, right?"

Naruto nodded, and stepped into the ring, which was about five meter in diameter. "It was a long time ago since we last sparred, right, Sasuke?"

Sasuke grunted. "I won't take it easy on you," and smirked while stepping inside the ring.

"I didn't expect you would," Naruto mockingly said, and dashed forward.

The young Hyuuga was beyond words. Never had she seen such a fight. She was amazed by these two, their fight seemed like an endless dance, never letting the other get in a hit. It was beautiful. After about 15 minutes, someone of the two flinched, and got immideately kicked out of the ring.

"Oww, seems like I lost," Naruto said, while getting up. He was shaking pretty well, and to have putten up with the taijutsu-specialist so good was amazing in Sasuke's eyes. He was a taijutsu-specialist, after all, since he didn't have to spend time on learning jutsus. His valuable Sharingan took care of that. "And the seal is working accordingly…" He whispered, only heared by Hanabi, who didn't have a clue on what he was talking about.

"That was a good fight," Sasuke had to say. It wasn't everyday someone could match him this well, and he thought if Naruto hadn't had these seals on him (for reasons unknown), he wasn't so sure that he would've won. But he had held back, so he couldn't really guess who was stronger. It didn't matter too much to him, but the old rivalry from years ago still was in his mind, and undoubtedly in Naruto's too.

After they had sat down on each side of Hanabi and rested for a couple of minutes, Naruto suddenly spoke up. "Well, what about it, brat?" He said while getting up. "Show us what you got," he said, while offering her a helping hand.

The spar had been lecturing for Hanabi, she was no match for both of them of course, but she was a little below the level where Neji had been when he fought Naruto four years ago, and that had surprised both of them. They had underestimated the skinny little girl, and Naruto wasn't happy about it at all. He had hated being underestimated.

Saying farewell to a tired Sasuke, the two of them continued down the busy roads of Konoha. You couldn't tell that it was almost night.

"Say, brat, care to accompany me in a meal of ramen?" Naruto asked, smiling evilly towards the poor, unknowing Hyuuga. He was so going to convert her to a ramen-loving being.

"R-ramen?" She thought for a while. "I've never tasted ramen…" Naruto stopped in his tracks.

"You haven't? Then it's off to the ramen-stand!" He exalted.

* * *

"Hey, two miso ramen, old man," Naruto said as they walked into the small stand. The owner somehow recognized the voice, and quickly turned around to get welcomed by an all too familiar head of yellow. 

"Ohh, Naruto! So you're back!" He grinned, and was inwardly glad to have the opportunity to serve his number-one-through-all-time-customer. "Hey, Ayame! Look who's here!" A head plopped out of the door located behind the counter.

"Naruto-kun?!" She startled, and couldn't really find the words. "Idiot, we were dependant on you, and then you just left!"

"Aah, gomen," he said while putting his hands together. "Don't worry, though, I'm back again and I promise I'll eat here as much as I can." He smiled a little smile. There weren't that many civilian that actually liked him, but the owner of the Ichiraku-stand and his daughter had almost been like a family to him. They were valuable friends.

"Yeah, or else we'll not forgive you. Anyway, two miso ramen coming up," the old man said, and with the special occasion it was, he followed up with a, "it's on the house," and grinned

After another seven bowls from Naruto's side, they thanked for the food, and went outside. "Ahh, no-one does greater ramen than Ichiraku. Did you like it? Well?"

"It was okay, I guess," she herself had taken three bowls of ramen, with todays training fresh in mind. "Well, I have to go home now," she said. It was getting awfully late, and while she could enjoy the night sometimes, she was all too tired of it this night. Being the gentleman he is, Naruto followed her home, and bidding her goodnight.

He found himself a good spot for spending the night in, it was an opening in the forest that was located beside a small sea, covered in green grass. He lay on his back with his arms under his head, and just looked up to the black, star-filled sky above. _What would you do in my position, father?

* * *

_

The week had passed by, Hiashi had been relieved to hear that his daughter had come into such a good team, and it was now time to set out to yet another chuunin-exam, for some being the second time, for another being the first time.

"Hey, brat," Naruto called out. The pale girl turned around, wondering what he could want. The blonde stepped up to her, bowed down, put something over her head, brought it down to her neck and freed her hair that was being held back by that something. "It's my old pair of goggles," he said with a smile plastered to his face, and ruffed her hair. "Take good care of it." And the two began to walk to catch up to the other two, and leave the massive gates of Konoha behind.

* * *

"Don't worry, Tsunade, he knows what he's doing," the white-haired man said. He was unsure about the nature of the new seal Naruto had, and couldn't stop wondering what it was. "We'll ask him when he comes back." And the two sannin's looked out at the window in the Hokage-office, trying to figure out what Naruto could be hiding. **Author's comments**

Six senses? :P Well, I'd like to call it a sixth sense, the ability to _feel_ the pressure that chakra produce.

Thank you for all your reviews.


	6. Fight 6

**Ryoshuu**

Chapter 6

_By_

_ensngre_

* * *

"So we'll meet up with the rest of the teams participating from Leaf?" Naruto asked. "How many teams are there beside Team 7?" 

"Hmm?" Kakashi looked up from his orange book. "Oh, yeah, something like that. There should be three more teams from Leaf."

Sasuke looked at his teacher. "Only three? Last time, there were more than that," he asked.

"Saa, the suspense have only gone higher since the last exam you participated in. We don't have too many Jounin's to spare who can accompany Genin-teams to the Chuunin-exams." Kakashi replied, and went back to his book.

"So that's why…" Hanabi, who had stayed quiet until now, spoke up. Both Naruto and Sasuke turned to look on her, while she continued. "I've had some upperclassmen who had difficulty of reaching Chuunin-rank."

"Hmm, really…? It seems as though we had luck, right Sasuke?" The blonde said.

"Yeah. And, we're here." He spoke up, as he took a quick glance around the temporarily camp. There, in front of a team that was sparring against each other, sat two Jounin's. He could hear more sounds from sparring deeper in the forest, probably another team.

The purple-haired Jounin, a woman, spoke up. "So you're finally here, Kakashi-san."

"We've waited for hours," the second Jounin exalted.

"Oh, sorry, sorry, we got lost on the road of life," he lied. "Isn't that right? Naruto?"

"Yeah," he replied, and stepped forward. "Where's the third team?" And looked around.

"They should be here soon," one of the genin's who had been sparring said. The other two walked up beside him. "It's an honour having the pleasure of meeting you, Uchiha Sasuke-san. My name is Uyamau." Sasuke only nodded in response.

Then, the two other teams had returned, and they continued towards the Hidden Village of Stone.

* * *

A brown-haired girl walked up to Sasuke and Naruto, who had taken the lead together with Hanabi. The other teams stuck together, and so did the teachers. "Sasuke-san, Naruto-san," she said, "I've heard much about you. You two played both a great part in the Sound-invasion four years ago, right?" 

"Not really," Sasuke snorted and answered. He was still the old Sasuke, alright.

The girl giggled. "Although I've heard much about you, there's only rumors. No-one will tell us anything at all. Like why you both disappeared four years ago, and where to..."

"Heh, I see… so it's classified." Naruto said.

"And with all right," Sasuke filled in.

The girl sighed, knowing that she wouldn't get answers from the two. "So what do you think about the exam? My team isn't as strong as yours, but I guess it isn't that much different from the others." She thought for a while. "Actually, Naruto-san, you're even more of a mystery than Sasuke-san-" she was going to continue, when Sasuke spoke up.

"We're here," and there it lay, a massive gate to the village located near the gigantic montains. It was a sight not everyone had seen before.

"Wow…" a boy from the third Genin-team said.

"Are you here for the Chuunin-exam?" An ANBU asked the three Jounin's. A Jounin named Hakuchi spoke up, and after they showed their passes, they were allowed to enter the Hidden Village of Stone.

"I'm hungry, let's go eat."

"I agree with Naruto, it's been a long trip. And we haven't eaten anything today," Kakashi asked, nodding his head. "Well," he turned to the other teams and to their instructors, "good luck, then."

"The same to you, Kakashi-san," one of the Jounin's said, as they made their move to find someplace to stay during the days the exam were held.

"So, up for some ramen?" Naruto asked, while grinning in his unnatural-mature-way. And they made their way to a ramen-stand Naruto had been to before, and seated themselves.

"It's on me," Kakashi said. "I won't be able to look over you during the exams, so this is the least I can do." The others answered with a 'alright'.

The seniors in Team 7 had long ago given up on finding out what's behind that teacher's of theirs mask, and made a promise not to look while he ate. Hanabi wasn't sure of what to do, but followed their advice. While they ate in all their peace, a woman came in, who looked to be around 26 years old. She had long, loose, brown hair with piercing black eyes. She was certainly a sight for the eye. She had a forehead-protector around her neck, indicating that she was a Stone-shinobi. She also wore a grey Jounin-vest.

She was just about to order something, when she saw Naruto. Her eyes went wide than humanly possible, and they were fear-stricken. "It... it's you..." She sweatdropped.

Naruto looked up from his bowl, and put it down on the table along with the chop-sticks. "Oh... so you're alive. Long time, no see... Kakei-san."

Then she snapped out of her fear, and whistled a melody only the Stone-jounins knew. A second after, an ANBU-team of five arrived. "Arrest the one with blonde hair." She pointed at Naruto. "The Scroll of Seals... he was the one who stole it."

**Author's notes**

I changed to the Village of Stone, instead of Grass. Grass is supposedly a very small village, so them arranging the Chuunin-exam's is out of the question.

A questiong to you readers. Am I going a bit too fast? Should I slow down a bit? (not about the releases - which is quite slow :P) And is the chapters too short? Please state what you're thinking! :) Next chapter up sometime after new-year.


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